The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Wednesday granted permission to the Amaravati farmers to organise a public meeting at a private place at Damineedu village in Tirupati rural limits.
The farmers plan to organise the meeting on December 17.
Hearing a petition filed by the Amaravati Parirakshana Samithi, the court directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to issue orders allowing the farmers to conduct the meeting.
The court, however, asked the farmer leaders to follow the prescribed guidelines.
“The meeting should be organised between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. in conformity with the COVID-19 protocols,” the court said.
Observing that there were no reasons to reject permission for the public meeting, the court said that “permission cannot be denied on the pretext that law and order problems may crop up.”
“The onus of ensuring that law and order problem does not arise lies on the police. The petitioners should not resort to making any objectionable comments,” the court said.
Appearing for the police, additional Advocate-General P. Sudhakar Reddy said, “When the people of Rayalaseema are favouring three capitals, how can the petitioners organise a meeting demanding one capital at a venue in the region?”
The farmers had violated the conditions laid down during their ‘maha padayatra’ and attacked the police in Tirupati on Tuesday, he alleged. “The petitioners can organise any number of meetings in the Amaravati area,” he added.
However, the court said that organising meetings was the fundamental right of the citizens.
“High courts and the Supreme Court have cleared the air in this regard. Rayalaseema is also a part of Andhra Pradesh. The police should take security measures if there is scope for disturbances. Only the SP and the additional SP have the power to deny permission. How can the DSP issue orders,” the court asked.
The court further said the reasons cited by the police for rejecting permission were not reasonable.
Hearing another petition filed by the Rayalaseema Medhavula Forum seeking permission to conduct a meeting on December 17, the court said permission cannot be given for two public meetings the same day. “The forum can organise the meeting on December 18,” the court said.
The Amaravati farmer leaders and the opposition parties welcomed the court order pronounced by Justice Cheekati Manavendranath Roy.
